Apparatus for dehydrating sirup or the like



Jan. 13, 1942; D. J. PENTZER ET AL 2,270,138

APPARATUS FOR DEHYDRATING SIRUP OR THE LIKE Original Filed July 6, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor JJ Pen/flew H 6'.Mz'ller Inventor l I l .l

3 Sheets-Sheet 2 D. J. PENTZER ET AL Original Filed July 6, 1938 APPARATUS FOR DEHYDRATING SIRUP OR THE LIKE I A iiomeys Jan. 13, 1942.

Jan. 13, 1942. J PENTZER ETAL 2,270,138

APPARATUS FOR DEHYDRATING SIRUP OR THE LIKE fl GiMi/Zer.

Patented Jan. 13, 1942 APPARATUS FOR DEHYDEATING SIRUP OR THE LIKE Donald J. Pentzer, Herbert G. Miller, and Lee F. Moon, The Dalles, Oreg.

Original application July 6, 1938, Serial No. 217,786. Divided and this application January 27, 1939, Serial No. 253,180

tank, and the opposite ends of the tank are closed by dams l1, 18, respectively. Outlet pipes 19, lead from the spaces between the partitions and the dams, near the bottom of the tank 5.

A pipe 2| connects with both of the pipes I9, 20 and feeds the intake of a pump 22 which discharges through a pipe 23 which has on its upper end a gooseneck or the like 24 discharging downwardly upon the middle of the distributing tray 26 of the evaporating chamber 25. This tray is supported above tiers 21 of alternately and oppositely declining baffles which rise from the bottom of the sirup heating chamber 28. The tray 26 has holes 45 over each tier of baflies and the tray is 4 Claims.

Our invention relates to apparatus for increasing the soluble solid content of fruits and vegetables, and an important object of our invention is to provide means whereby fruits and vegetables may be processed, especially in making mara- 5 schino and candied fruits and vegetables, whereby superior products of this character are obtained, and greater efliciency and speed in the processing are obtainable with consequent substantial reduction in the expense of working such processes.

Other important objects and advantages of our invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description and drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration we hav set forth a preferred embodiment of our invention. 1 only fractionally as wide as the sirup heating The subject matter of the present application chamber, and the plates 29, 30 cover the top of the is a divisional application, the subject matter chamber 28 at the sides of the evaporating chamthereof having been divided out of our co-pendber. ing application Serial No. 217,786, filed July 6, At an intermediate point above the bottom of 1938, and entitled Process and apparatus for the chamber 28, discharge pipes 3| and 32 extend increasing the soluble solid content of fruits and from one end of the chamber 28 and empty into vegetables in making maraschino and candied the perforated tray II of the tank 5. Partitions fruits and vegetables. 33 and 34 close the ends of the chamber 28 and In the drawings: engage the opposite ends of the evaporating Figure 1 is a side elevational view partly broken chamber 25, the latter including side walls 35, 36 away and showing the formation and arrangesupported above the bottom of the chamber 28 ment of the parts of the present embodiment of by chocks 31, 38 attached to the side walls 35, our invention. 36, respectively, and resting on the top of the Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view p a partly broken away and showing the combined 30 A steam heating pipe 39 enters the chamber 28 evaporating chamber and sirup heating chamber. through the plate 30 and extends along the bot- Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure 2. tom, near one side of the said chamber in a Figure 4 is an end elevational view partly longitudinal manner, then crosses over to the opbroken away of Figure 2. posite side of the evaporating chamber 25, and Figure 5 is a side elevational view partly broken then extends longitudinally along this opposite away of the fruit holding tank. side of the chamber, and then returns upwardly Figure 6 is a top plan view partly broken' away, through the plate 29 to the valved pipe 40. The of Figure 5. chamber 28 may be round, rectangular or square Figure 7 is an end elevational view partly and be made of wood, metal or plastic material, broken away of Figure 5. 40 so as to contain a part of the sirup or other Refer i g in d t to the drawings, the nuliquid contained by the entire system, and this ral 5 n ra ly designates a rou d, r tansuchamber 28 contains the steam coil 39 or other e tank made of W00d, Ir1ete1, 0r plasiie suitable electric or other heating means for heatmaterial sultable to hold the fruits or vegetables mg the sirup or other liquids therein 6 a the 51mm or other hqmd Thls tank i A funnel H opens onto one end of the evaposmtaply stlppoltted on .legs or t g and 15 rating chamber 25 at a point above the heating provided lnterlorly with partitions S and l0 Chamber 28, and an blower 42, drawing hot Spaced from the end walls of h tank and air from a heating chamber 43, blows hot air ranged transversely, and supporting a perforated h t 11 th h th h b 25 d tray u in conjunction with cleats l2 and I3 fixed 9 a y mug e er an 1 S to the upper part of the Side Walls of the tank tiers of bafiles, whereby the sirup falling through The partitions 9 and I0 have respective screened the hers of mines, 1s concenwated by the openings l4 '5, in the lower part thereof These sequent removal of a part of its Water content. partitions are held in place by pairs of vertical steam heating 60118 44 other Suitable heating cleats 16 secured tov the opposite side walls of the 55 means heat the heater Operation In operation, the fruits or vegetables 6, prepared from the fresh, canned, frozen or brined fruits or vegetables are placed in the large tank 5 and covered with a sirup or liquid 6 of low density or soluble solids. The coils or heating elements 39 of the heating tank are covered with a similar sirup or liquid. The pump or pumps 22 are turned on so that the sirup or liquid is.

taken continually from the bottom of the tank 5 and circulated. to and through the evaporating chamber 25, thence to and through the heating chamber 28 and then return to the top of the first tank 5.

At the same time, the respective steam coils or heating elements 39, M are turned on in the air heating chamber 43, and in the sirup or liquid heating tank 28. The blower 42 is also turned on, whereby hot air is forced through the evaporating chamber 25.

As'the sirup or liquid circulates through the system, its density or soluble solid content becomes greater and its volume becomes reduced. Periodically throughout the run, more sirup or liquid is added to the system to restore the volume of sirup or liquid to its original volume. The density or soluble solid content of this sirup or liquid should be the same as that of the sirup or liquid Within the system at the time the addition is made.

The temperature of the air blowing into the evaporating chamber 25 and the temperature of the sirup flowing over the fruit or vegetable is maintained at the optimum point for the individual variety of fruit or vegetable, by manipulating the valves on the coils or heating ele ments 44 in the air heating chamber 43 and in the sirup or liquid heating tank 28.

The resultant hot gradually concentrating sirup or liquid, flowing over the fruit or vegetable, heats the fruit or vegetable and penetrates into the flesh of the same, extracting water from the same, and replacing the water thus extracted with sugar or other solid material carried in the sirup or liquid. Thus, the soluble solid content of the fruit or vegetable is gradually increased to the point desired, in a maraschino or candied cherry or other candied fruit or vegetable.

Although we have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of our invention, it is to be definitely understood that we do not desire to limit the application of our invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in the materials and in the structure and arrangement of the parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. Apparatus for dehydrating sirup or the like, said apparatus comprising an elongated sirup receptacle having relatively low side and end walls and sirup discharging means, an elongated baille chamber resting on the bottom of said receptacle, said chamber comprising end and side wallsrising above the level of the walls of said receptacle with the sides of said chamber spaced laterally inwardly from the side walls of said receptacle, horizontal panels extending between the sides of the chamber and the tops of the side and end walls of said receptacle and closing the top of the receptacle, a shallow pan supported at the upper edges of the side walls of said chamber and closing the top of the chamber, said pan being formed with transverse rows of perforations, means feeding sirup into said pan, transverse tiers of vertically spaced horizontal staggered baiiies under the rows of perforations onto which the sirup falls, means spacing major portions of lower portions of the side walls of said chamber above the bottom of the receptacle and establishing communication between the chamber and the outlying portions of said receptacle, the end walls of said chamber having air passing openings, and means at one end of said chamber for forcing a stream of heated air longitudinally through said chamber and the tiers of bafiles therein.

2. Apparatus for dehydrating sirup or the like as recited by claim 1 wherein said sirup discharging means comprises overfiow tubes opening through the wall of said receptacle at approximately the level of the upwardly spaced lower portions of the side walls of said chamber.

3. Apparatus for dehydrating sirup or the like according to claim 1 wherein sirup heating conduits extend along and above the bottom of the said outlying portions of said receptacle.

Apparatus for dehydrating sirup or the like according to claim 1 wherein sirup heating conduits extend along and above the bottom of the said outlying portions of said receptacle, said heating conduits being located close to the outer sides of said chamber and having a connecting conduit extending across said chamber.

DONALD J. PENTZER. HERBERT G. MILLER. LEE F. MOON. 

